House at 173 Sixteenth Avenue
Why it's listed
Built around 1880, this one and one-half story house on a small corner lot at 16th Avenue and Bay Avenue in Sea Cliff is a picturesque summer cottage from the village's resort era. It has a cruciform plan, a cross-gable roof, and original board and batten siding now covered by clapboard. Scrollsawn bargeboards with finials decorate the shingled gables and wall dormers, and a symmetrical three-bay facade has central French doors with elliptical transoms. A two-story bay window, round-arched dormer windows and a two-tiered wraparound porch with turned posts add to its character. The house was built when Sea Cliff was shifting from a camp meeting ground to a resort drawing growing numbers of summer visitors, and streets and lots were being laid out for summer houses. Its Gothic Revival details recall that growth. Alterations in the 1950s were limited to moving the chimney and removing the south entrance door.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a distinguished example of late nineteenth century summer resort architecture in Sea Cliff. It was built as the village changed from a rural camp meeting ground into a resort community. It keeps features reminiscent of mid-nineteenth century Gothic Revival cottages, such as a multi-gabled roof, decorative bargeboards, a wraparound porch, bay windows and round-arched windows.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000013, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 173 Sixteenth Ave., Sea Cliff |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000013 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival style (picturesque summer cottage) |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in fair condition; the only exterior alterations were made in the 1950s, and the interior retains many original features. No threats are known. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.84751, -73.65222 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000013.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.